


Strangers on Trains, Written in the Stars

by star_jess



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21815419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/star_jess/pseuds/star_jess
Summary: How many faces do you pass by on a train? Hundreds? Thousands? Even after all this time, Chanyeol would know that face anywhere. It hasn’t changed since the very first time he saw him and fell in love.
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 5
Kudos: 57
Collections: Round 3: Autumn and Winter - On the Snow





	Strangers on Trains, Written in the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fill for prompt #263
> 
> A/N: Dear prompter - when I saw this prompt I knew that I had to write it. I sort of took your innocent little prompt and ran with it and for that I apologize. I tried to keep as true to it as possible! I hope that you like it. And to the lovely L and A who cheered me on and pressed me to keep going when I lost all of my motivation, thank you this fic wouldn’t exist without you. Please forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes.

Prologue: It All Started When

He sat in a deep leather chair in his study, gazing out of the window deep in contemplation. Outside, snow was falling, bright against the moonlight. Chanyeol had lived many lifetimes before. He was used to the world constantly changing and shifting around him. Some things stayed the same, like his love for dogs and for music, the changing of seasons, the cycles of the moon. Many things were different; technology, entertainment, the languages he spoke. Chanyeol was used to change, even found a sort of comfort in it after a time. He prided himself on being adaptable to new situations. However, there was one thing that he knew for certain and that was winter was the most magical time of year, especially Christmas. Not only were people usually in good spirits and the world just a little kinder, it also meant he got to see him again. He never knows exactly when or how it’s going to happen but this time, Chanyeol has a good feeling. Chanyeol turned to the window once more and watched as the wind blew the snowflakes about. He smiled softly to himself at the thought of what was to come.

***

Chapter 1: In The Beginning

Chanyeol’s POV 

December 2nd, only a few more weeks until Christmas. The air was bitter and cold. Thick grey clouds were ever present in the winter sky, threatening to douse the world in powdery white snow at any moment. Everywhere you looked you could see decorations - in shop fronts, apartment windows, even the street lights had been dressed in garlands for the season. Even though he thinks capitalism is evil, Chanyeol could appreciate how pretty it looked when all of the shops were all lit up. Chanyeol has been putting in a few more hours than normal at the university to make a little extra money, so he can buy his mom something nice for Christmas. He knew she had been eyeing a cashmere sweater and scarf set at her favourite boutique. He picked up an extra night class this semester and even though he enjoyed it, it was draining. This also meant that he wasn’t taking his usual train home from the university. 

The first time he saw him, he noticed the man had on two different socks and an armful of papers that appeared to be covered in ribbons and glitter glue. Chanyeol didn’t think much of it - the holidays brought out some pretty weird people in his opinion. He wasn’t one to judge at the very least, he could recall nights where he took the train home with bags stuffed full of papers and far too many coffee mugs in his hands. He really needed to take them home instead of leaving them stacked on his desk. His thoughts turned to his own schedule, hectic as it was with the addition of a new class. The following day he didn’t have a lecture scheduled which meant no crowded late night trains, just a freezing cold walk with eight very excitable dogs to a local dog park. 

Chanyeol truly did love his job as a dog walker but sometimes he wished that he had as much energy as his furry companions seemed to. He wanted the dogs to burn some of their excitement off and methodically unclipped all of their leashes, letting them run wild in the park. He strolled leisurely around the edges of the park, watching the dogs frolic and socialize. The air smelled like it might snow later and the clouds looked promisingly full. Chanyeol hummed to himself as he walked, making sure the dogs were all playing nicely. Vaguely he wondered what he should have for dinner. Checking the time on his phone, he realized that twenty minutes had already passed. Then came the hardest part of his job, rounding all of the dogs up to leave. Chanyeol was very proud when he managed this in under five minutes and handed each dog a treat to reward their good behavior. During the walk home, he peered into shop windows as he passed, leisurely wondering what his friends and parents would like best. 

Despite the fact that Christmas was widely considered to be a couple’s holiday in Korea, Chanyeol still liked to make his friends feel loved and appreciated. He knew that gifts weren’t expected, but that didn’t stop the glee that filled him every time he found something that would perfectly suit someone on his list. Lost in his thoughts, Chanyeol almost missed the door to drop off one of the dogs and quickly pulled himself back together. Eventually, Chanyeol was freed of all of his doggy friends and meandered back to his own apartment, stopping along the way home to pick up a take-away from his favourite shop. By the time he reached his front door, the food was cooling thanks to the frigid December air. He quickly dumped his container of noodles into a bowl and stuck it in the microwave to heat it back up again. While waiting, he flicked on his favourite Christmas film and turned up the floor heater a bit so his toes didn’t freeze off. Chanyeol spent his evening double checking his lesson plans for tomorrow’s class. The end of the semester is always a bit hectic with students turning in their assignments and asking for extensions. He just wanted to be as prepared as possible for the inevitable minor meltdown from a student who overloaded on courses and didn’t know how to manage all of their deadlines.

It was approaching midnight before Chanyeol finally dragged himself off of the couch and into his bathroom, lazily dumping his dishes into the sink and promising that he would get to them tomorrow. A quick shower later and he was feeling the drag of exhaustion on the edges of his mind. He made his way into his bedroom, adjusting the thermostat once more to ensure he wouldn’t be baked in his sleep. He settled down into his blanket cocoon and let the comforting wash of sleep take over his mind.

Jongin’s POV

December was, arguably, both the best and the worst month of the year in Jongin’s opinion. He loved seeing all of the shops come alive with colourful and festive decorations, loved the cheerful music that played from every street corner. He also was partial to the joy that suddenly seemed to fill everyone as the festive season approached. On the other hand, December meant the last month of the school year and that in turn led to rowdy children. He wouldn’t trade his job as a teacher for anything in the world but there were moments where he just wanted to curl up under a blanket and nap for 23 hours straight. December seemed to bring on a lot of those moments. Thanks to the chaos that school turned into at the end of the year, he was taking a later train home than normal these days. He often boarded with his arms stuffed full of papers to grade or craft projects that his students had completed that day in class. He couldn’t remember the last time that he had gone home without some form of paint or glitter on his hands and clothes. It was only December 2nd but he was already running through lists in his head of how he would be decorating his classroom this coming weekend, imagining the festive displays that he wanted to put up on his bulletin boards. His head was so full of plans that he almost missed his stop, stumbling off in the nick of time. He made his way from the station to his apartment, being careful not to drop any of the papers that he had carefully cradled in his arms. 

He unlocked his door and pushed into the apartment, dumping the projects onto his dining room table and flicking on the lights as he went. Quickly changing out of his slightly paint stained clothes and dropping them on top of the washing machine, Jongin puttered around the kitchen. He gathered up ingredients to make a simple egg fried rice. Not only was he not great in the kitchen, he also had no energy left to make more than an easy dish. Every weekend he swore he would start prepping meals ahead of time so he could start eating better and every weekend he found himself occupied with some kind of project that he used as an excuse to put off making food for just a little while longer. This ultimately resulted in his diet being fried rice, sandwiches, and instant foods. He removed the pan from the burner and dumped the contents into a bowl, intending to sit on the couch and space out while he ate. It was nice to simply turn off your brain at the end of a long day, at least for a little while. 

Before he could consider going to bed, Jongin knew he had to prep the materials for the lesson he wanted to do tomorrow with his students. He settled himself down at his table and got to work sorting through the projects he had brought home with him. He then moved on to cutting out lengths of paper and ribbon for the next day’s craft. Jongin was completely lost in his work when the alarm he had set on his phone chimed softly at 10pm. Startled, Jongin roused himself enough to stand up from the table and stretch. He took his dinner dishes to the kitchen and washed them quickly. He then made his way to the bathroom, where he quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. Finally he made his way down the hall to his bedroom where he cozied himself up in his softest pajamas before flicking out the lights and collapsing onto the bed. Tomorrow would be another busy day, he needed all of the energy and sleep that he could get.

***

Chapter 2: Meetings on Trains

December 5th

Chanyeol couldn’t help but glance sideways at the cute boy whose hands were filled with Christmas decorations. The boy had at least 3 bags cradled in his arms, decorations spilling over the tops. The boy was dozing lightly in his seat, bruised shadows under his eyes indicating that he probably hadn’t slept much in a while. As the train took a rather sharp turn, his head lolled to the side and gently brushed Chanyeol’s shoulder. There were three old ladies sitting across the aisle from him that giggled quietly to themselves. A sharp jerk of the train nearly sent the bags of decorations tumbling to the floor. Chanyeol quickly snagged one of the bags and put it at his feet, stabilizing the other two. He pushed the stranger’s head back a bit further on his shoulder and settled in to wait. He still had a 20 minute ride left to figure out what to do with this situation. 

“You’re so sweet, letting him sleep.” 

Chanyeol is startled by the voice of a woman next to him.

“Ah, it’s nothing. He’s really tired.” Chanyeol wasn’t sure but the eyebags and the falling asleep were pretty big hints.

The flow of people in and out of the train was pretty constant. More than once Chanyeol watched as old ladies and school girls stole glances at him and the man sleeping on his shoulder, whispering to themselves quietly. 

An older gentleman was not as shy about sharing his opinion of the whole situation. 

“What a nice boyfriend you are, to be the one to stay awake.” 

“Oh it’s nothing, I couldn’t bear to wake him up anyway. He’s so peaceful.”

Chanyeol didn’t confirm nor deny the man’s words about being the stranger’s boyfriend but it made his stomach flutter a bit to think of having a boyfriend. He stared out of the window as the tunnels passed by. Eventually, the train went above ground and the world outside was lit by the millions of lights of the city. Before he knew it, they had reached his stop. Gently, so as not to startle the sleeping man, he shook his shoulder. Soft brown eyes blinked sleepily open and gazed around in confusion. 

“This is our stop sleepy head.” Chanyeol wasn’t sure that the other man was in a state of mind to comprehend the situation.

“Our stop?” The other man gathered up his bags of decorations and stood abruptly, only to sway on his feet until Chanyeol grabbed his arm.

“Let’s go sleeping beauty,” the laughter in Chanyeol’s voice was audible as he helped the man off of the train before the doors could close on them. 

Once they were standing on the platform, the other man looked around in confusion. His face was puffy with the remnants of his impromptu nap and his hair was slightly tousled from where he had been sleeping on Chanyeol’s shoulder. 

“Where are we exactly? How did I get here. And who are you?” Jongin peered around the platform, looking for the station name.

“Sorry about that but I think if I left you there to sleep the rest of the train would have attacked me for being a careless boyfriend. I really hope that your stop isn’t far from here. I’m Chanyeol by the way. You fell asleep on my shoulder and the rest of the train kind of assumed we were dating. So I couldn’t just leave you there. I swear I’m not a creep or anything.” 

Chanyeol’s sudden speech seem to cut through some of the other man’s stupor. He straightens himself and tightens his grip on the bags of decorations. 

“I’m Jongin. Thanks for waking me up. Ah….I wouldn’t want you to get mobbed by angry grandmas on a train it’s fine. Actually…” here Jongin paused with a sheepish laugh “this is my stop too. So I’m really grateful to you!”

“What a marvelous coincidence then! Will you be okay to get home from here? Do you need help with all of those bags?” Chanyeol couldn’t stop himself from offering even though he didn’t really know anything about the other man aside from his name. 

Jongin’s cheeks turned faintly pink before he managed to stutter out “Uhm if you really wouldn’t mind...I could use some help getting these home...I don’t wanna drop anything or break it.”

Chanyeol smiled and accepted one of the bags from Jongin. “No trouble at all! I have nowhere important to be tonight.”

They walked home in companionable silence, broken every once in a while by the sound of Christmas music played over the speakers outside of shops or by the chatter of others as they walked down the sidewalk. Jongin came to a stop outside of a tidy stone building and jerked his head towards the door. 

“This is me! If you don’t mind just helping me take these in?” Jongin’s eyes were sparkly, thanks to the twinkle lights someone had hung around the entrance to the building.

Chanyeol felt himself nodding before he even realized what had happened. “Yes of course!” 

Jongin led the way up to his second floor flat and punched in his door code. Chanyeol made sure to avert his eyes before Jongin pushed open the door. 

“You can set the bags down on the table there if you don’t mind. Sorry to put you to all of this trouble. You really didn’t have to help.” Jongin was busy shoving a mass of papers aside so that there was room on the table for Chanyeol to set down his bags. 

“I promise that I don’t mind helping. What kind of person would I be if I couldn’t help someone who needed it?” Sometimes Chanyeol hated the fact that his mouth moved on autopilot without his consent. From behind he saw the tips of Jongin’s ears redden.

“TEA!” Chanyeol jumped a little at the sudden shout from Jongin. “I beg your pardon?” He asked.

“I am a good host and so we are going to have tea. Yes.” And without another word, Jongin spun on his heel and marched into the kitchen where clattering noises alerted Chanyeol to the fact that the other man was probably attempting to make the aforementioned tea. 

Chanyeol was a bit bemused by this sudden turn of events but nonetheless, he was willing to accept a hot drink after being out in the freezing cold. Jongin returned from the kitchen with two steaming mugs and jerked his head toward the sofa in the living area. 

“Let’s sit there and drink.” Chanyeol obediently followed Jongin into the other room. As he went, he looked around and noticed an impressive amount of student projects and letters decorating most of the surfaces.

“Thank you for helping me, you really didn’t have to.” Jongin’s voice broke the sudden silence in the room. 

“Of course, I don’t mind. You had a lot to carry. Can I ask what it’s all for?” Chanyeol admitted that he was a bit curious about the many bags of Christmas items. 

“Ah you see- I am a kindergarten teacher and we do a lot of craft projects around the holidays. I like to be prepared.” Jongin looked contemplatively at Chanyeol. “I bet I can guess your job,” he said. Chanyeol nodded at him and gestured for Jongin to speculate.  
“Judging from your clothes you probably do something academic, maybe at a library or a school, but not with young children.” Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, impressed at the other man’s perceptiveness. 

“You’re right, I’m a professor at the local university.”

Jongin fist-pumped and nearly spilled his tea all over the couch. He quickly settled back down and sipped his tea. 

Chanyeol spent the next hour chatting with Jongin. He learned that they actually had a lot in common, from their love of dogs and teaching to how much they despised the commercialization of holidays. Chanyeol’s phone chimed softly and he looked down to see that it was already past 8:00pm. 

“Oh shoot I didn’t realize that it was so late. I’m sorry Jongin I know you probably need to be up early tomorrow. How about we exchange numbers?” Chanyeol proposed the question without much thought and was amused to see a blush spread across Jongin’s face. 

“Yeah I would like that. Here -” Jongin held out his phone which he had opened to the QR code on Kakao. Chanyeol quickly pulled up the application and scanned Jongin’s code, before he added him with a smile at how cute Jongin’s profile picture was. 

“I look forward to having more conversations with you.” Chanyeol said as he stood up.

“Me too,” replied Jongin. He walked with Chanyeol to the front door and waved as the other man left. 

The door thumped closed behind Chanyeol’s retreating back and Jongin rubbed his chest. His heart fluttered beneath his hand and Jongin couldn’t help but feel like something…..magical ...had just happened. 

***

Chapter 3: Unlikely Coincidences

December 8th

His dogs were usually very well behaved so Chanyeol didn’t understand why all of the sudden one of the poodles was trying to rip off his arm and drag him down the street. This was the last dog that Chanyeol needed to drop off and if he were to be honest, he was kind of glad. With a sudden burst of strength, the dog wrenched his leash from Chanyeol’s hands and sprinted down the road. 

“What on Earth - what - come back here!” Chanyeol shouted after the dog. He took off jogging after the runaway poodle only to collide with another form.

“Ouch!” A familiar voice exclaimed.

“Jongin! I am so sorry I didn’t mean to run into you. Are you okay?” Chanyeol helped Jongin up off of the ground and dusted the snow off of his shoulders. 

As he looked down Chanyeol saw his runaway poodle standing at Jongin’s feet, wagging his tail eagerly. “Do you know this dog by chance?” He asked. 

“Monggu!” Jongin exclaimed happily. “He’s my parent’s dog. What are you doing here pup?” Jongin cooed at the dog who danced around his feet.

“I walk dogs part time and he’s one of my favourites. He is the last one I need to drop off tonight.” Chanyeol hesitated for a moment before he made his decision. “Would you like to walk with me to take him home? And then let me buy you dinner as an apology for nearly knocking you over.”

Jongin looked surprised for a moment before a smile bloomed across his face. Chanyeol privately melted at his uneven eyes and scrunchy nose. 

“That sounds good! I miss spending time with this pup anyway. Plus I could use some good company right about now. If I have to answer one more question about what reindeer eat -” here Jongin cut off looking embarrassed. 

“Long day with the kindergartners?” Chanyeol asked with a chuckle.

“You have no idea,” replied Jongin.

December 10th

Jongin struggled to keep his eyes open as the rocking motion of the train dragged his mind into unconsciousness. The pull was too strong and he felt his eyelids fluttering closed. Just as he tipped sideways someone slid into the seat next to him and caught him, letting his head rest on their shoulder. Jongin’s last waking thought is “who?”

Chanyeol saw Jongin tipping over and sprinted to get onto the train and sit down next to the other man. He gently arranged Jongin’s head on his shoulder and took the bag from his hands before it could tip onto the floor. He put his headphones and leaned back, settled in for the ride. He could feel the stares of other people on the train, saw two old ladies sitting across from him whisper and point at them. He didn’t care really, he couldn’t control what other people thought. So long as they left him alone he was content to ignore their whispers. 

“What a nice boyfriend you are.” Said one old lady, patting his unoccupied shoulder as she stood by the door, waiting for the train to stop so that she could get off. “He’s lucky to have you.” The doors slid open and she stepped off but the warmth her words gave him radiated in the pit of his stomach. 

All too soon it was their stop and regretfully Chanyeol roused Jongin gently. “Jongin wake up, we’re almost there. You gotta wake up now.” Chanyeol hauled the sleepy man up and helped him off of the train, then seated him on a bench so he could wake up fully. Jongin blinked and looked around in confusion. 

“Chanyeol?” He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “How did you get here? Where are we?” 

“We’re at our station now, here, I have your bag.” Chanyeol handed the bag of tinsel and garlands to Jongin and smiled to himself at how cute the other man was in his half asleep, half awake state. 

“We’re here already? How did this happen? Oh! Thank you.” Jongin reached out and took the bag from Chanyeol’s hand and stood up slowly. 

“Do you want me to walk you home?” Chanyeol asked the other man, uncertain if he was really awake or just sleepwalking. 

“Home?” Jongin asked, looking around. 

“Okay yeah, let’s go sleeping beauty.” Chanyeol linked arms with Jongin and led him out of the station.

After making sure that Jongin was safely inside his apartment, Chanyeol made his way home, he stopped briefly to get a quick meal from the convenience store before hurrying to his apartment to get out of the bitter December cold. 

December 13th

At this point, Jongin was fairly certain the universe was doing this to him on purpose. Why else would the only seat in this cafe available be at the table of the man he just couldn’t seem to escape. Chanyeol was hunched over a laptop with a very nice pair of bluetooth headphones on. A half eaten muffin sat on a plate next to him and the chair across from him was empty. After one more glance around the cafe, Jongin made his way over to Chanyeol’s table and set his drink down. Chanyeol didn’t look up at first. It wasn’t until Jongin himself sat down and put his bag down next to him that he glanced up. Chanyeol’s eyes widened as he took off his headphones.

“Jongin! Hello! I didn’t expect to see you here.” Chanyeol greeted the other man with a smile. 

“I needed to relax after work today. Who goes out drinking on Friday nights anymore. Certainly not me. No, a nice hot chocolate in my favourite cafe is 100% more my style.” Jongin forced himself to stop rambling by taking a sip of his drink. 

“I like to come here to work on music. Something about the vibe of this cafe is really conducive to writing and producing for some reason.” Chanyeol gestured at the laptop in front of him as he spoke.

“You make music?” Jongin asked, surprise coloring his voice. 

“Ah, have I not mentioned that before? Yeah, when I’m not teaching university or walking dogs I like to work on making music.”

“A man of many talents it seems. You never cease to surprise me Chanyeol.”

The two chatted for a while longer, Jongin lamenting the fact that his school didn’t take a longer Christmas break and Chanyeol sharing that he had been stuck on this one piece of composition for several weeks now. Eventually the cafe emptied out around them until they were the only two left sitting at their little table. Chanyeol blinked when his phone beeped and his eyes widened when he noticed the time. 

“Oh shoot how did it get so late. I’m sorry Jongin I’m gonna have to go, I have an appointment in the morning.” Chanyeol quickly packed his belongings into his bag and stood. 

Jongin gathered his own bag and stood as well. “It’s late I completely understand. I should get going as well.” 

They walked out of the cafe together and Jongin waved goodbye to Chanyeol as he hurried down the street. Jongin himself kept a leisurely pace, humming to the tune of one of the songs that had been playing in the cafe earlier. It hadn’t been in his plans to spend the evening in that cafe with Chanyeol but something about it felt right. 

***

Chapter 4: Written in the Stars

December 15th 

It was the sound of crying that first drew Chanyeol’s attention. He looked around to see if he could find the source and his eyes were drawn to a child who looked no older than 5 or 6 standing on the sidewalk crying. There was a figure crouched next to her, speaking too softly for Chanyeol to hear. He slowly made his way over to the two and was surprised to see that it was Jongin next to the little girl.

“Is everything okay Jongin?” Chanyeol’s voice surprised both Jongin and the little girl and they looked up at him with wide eyes. 

“Chanyeol! I didn’t expect to see you today. This is Hayeon, one of my students. She was supposed to go to the corner store to get some milk for her daddy but she got lost on the way back. We’re just trying to figure out where she needs to go.” Jongin explained the situation while he patted Hayeon on the back in an attempt to soothe the girl. 

“Well you’re in luck!” exclaimed Chanyeol. “I know this area really well, I walk lots of doggies here.” He addressed both Jongin and Hayeon with his statement, crouching down so that he wasn’t towering over the both of them. “Hayeon, do you know your address?” Chanyeol asked the little girl. 

“Yes I do! Daddy says I’m really smart because I know the whole thing.” Hayeon rattled off her address and Chanyeol felt his eyebrows going up in surprise. 

“Wow you are really smart! And do you know what Hayeon, I know exactly where that is. In fact, I was headed there now to go to a party. Is your daddy’s name Junmyeon?” Chanyeol asked. 

“How did you know?!” Cried Hayeon, as she gazed wide eyed at Chanyeol. 

“Your daddy and I work at the same university,” he replied before catching Jongin’s eye. “How about your teacher and I walk you home, just so none of us get lost?” Chanyeol suggested and saw Jongin visibly relax at the suggestion. 

“Oh yes if there are three of us we won’t get lost.” Hayeon’s voice had cheered up immensely and Jongin wiped the remaining tears off of the little girl’s face before taking one of her hands in his own. Chanyeol took her other hand and the three walked off hand in hand in the direction Chanyeol had originally been going. 

Before long they arrived and Hayeon pushed the door open, pulling Chanyeol and Jongin inside with her. “Daddy I’m back,” she called out loudly, “and I brought Mr. Jongin and his friend with me!” Junmyeon appeared in the doorway in an instant and the worry lines that had creased his face smoothed out. 

“Hayeon thank god you’re back. I was so worried about you!” Junmyeon pulled Hayeon into his arms before he looked up at the two men still standing in his entry way. “Thank you for bringing Hayeon back home. She was gone for longer than normal I was getting worried that something had happened.” 

Junmyeon stood up and beckoned the two men inside. “Chanyeol! I’m glad to see that you made it for the party. Jongin you too. It seems like you two already knew each other though…?” Junmyeon’s voice trailed off into a question. 

“We keep running into each other. At this point I think it’s fate that we met again.” Jongin smiled as he unwound his scarf from his neck. 

They made their way into the house where the party was in full swing. Chanyeol recognized several of his colleagues from work and made his way over to talk to them but not before he glanced at Jongin to make sure the other man wasn’t going to be left standing alone. Jongin had made his way over to a group of men and women who he appeared to know and was greeting them happily. 

Chanyeol spent the evening chatting with his friends and sipping on the glass of mulled wine that had been pressed into his hand by Junmyeon. The evening wore on with several party games (no one let Chanyeol play charades for fear that he would knock something or someone over), a nice meal, and finally a white elephant gift exchange. People slowly left as it grew closer to midnight. Chanyeol stayed back to help Junmyeon pick up leftover plates and cups and noticed Jongin in one corner picking up wrapping paper that had been carelessly discarded.  
“Jongin.” Chanyeol’s voice made Jongin jump, lose his balance, and nearly fall face first into the Christmas tree. Chanyeol quickly grabbed Jongin’s arm so that he didn’t fall. “Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.” Chanyeol said as he helped the other man up. 

Perhaps it was the mulled wine flowing through his system or the spirit of the holiday season, whatever the reason Chanyeol felt confident. “Go on a date with me tomorrow.” 

Jongin froze at the abrupt request and blinked slowly. The moment seemed to stretch on forever and Chanyeol started to get nervous. Finally Jongin replied, “Okay. Yes. I would like that.”

Chanyeol let go of a breath he hadn’t even realized that he was holding. “Oh good. I mean!” He flushed as he realized what he had said. “I will pick you up at 6pm tomorrow okay? Wear lots of warm clothes, it might get cold.” 

Jongin smiled and nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow then Chanyeol. Don’t forget.”

December 16th

“Where are we going again?” asked Jongin for the 5th time in as many minutes. 

“Patience young one, all shall be revealed soon.” Chanyeol’s attempted mysterious answer made Jongin pout. “Alright alright I give, pray spare me the pouty face. We’re going to watch some guys I know do a busking performance. Their set for tonight is going to be really good.”

“Ah that would be why you told me to bundle up like a bear getting ready to hibernate then.” 

“You make an adorable bear,” Chanyeol told Jongin. Jongin promptly buried his face in his scarf so he didn’t have to look at Chanyeol. 

“You’re such a sap Park Chanyeol. Are we almost there?” Jongin asked to deflect Chanyeol from commenting on how red he knew he had become. 

“Yeah I see them over there! Let’s go.” Chanyeol pulled Jongin over to a well lit area next to the main path where several guys were setting up instruments and sound equipment. A few other people had already gathered around and were chatting quietly amongst themselves. 

“Wow it seems like these guys are pretty popular,” Jongin remarked. He looked around at the crowd that was gathering as the guys began warming up their instruments and voices. 

“I know them from university, they’ve been together a long time and their chemistry really shows through when they perform. I think that you’re going to like them.”

Chanyeol and Jongin turned to look at the band as they started their performance. Their set was lively and engaged the crowd, overall the mood was high. Jongin was swept up in the music and he turned to Chanyeol but the words he had been about to say died on his lips when he saw how Chanyeol was gazing at him. His head quickly snapped forward again and a faint blush crept over his cheeks. Chanyeol took Jongin’s hand in his own and slid it into his coat pocket. They stood hand in hand watching the performance together and Jongin fell just a little bit in love with Park Chanyeol.

December 18th

With a solid THUMP Chanyeol fell down on the ice again, landing splayed out and slightly dazed. The sound of Jongin’s giggles reached his ears and he slowly tilted his head back. The other man stood a few feet away, nearly bent double as he attempted to keep from full out laughing.  
“You can laugh, Jongin. I know I look ridiculous.” Chanyeol struggled briefly as he flipped himself over and attempted to stand again. Who knew that something as beautiful as ice skating could be so dangerous.

Jongin skated closer and grabbed Chanyeol’s hand, hauling the man back to his feet. 

“You’ll get the hang of it I promise. You just need to work on your balance I think.” Jongin couldn’t help but feel a bit smug. Chanyeol had always seemed so good at everything he tried from music to people skills. Now he had finally found something that didn’t come effortlessly to him as it did to Jongin. 

Jongin grasped Chanyeol’s hands and helped the other man glide along the ice. He gently supported the other man when he felt him about to lose his balance. The rink was playing Christmas carols in the background and they made Jongin want to dance. Before long Chanyeol said he was tired and needed to recharge so Jongin led him over to a bench at the side of the rink. Jongin seized the chance to return to the rink and glide and spin to his heart’s content. He jumped and soared over the ice, heart as light as his steps. When he finally came to a stop in front of the dumbfounded Chanyeol he blushed. Chanyeol’s mouth was hanging open and it took him a second to come back to himself. Chanyeol clapped loudly and Jongin shushed him. 

“That was amazing Jongin. Incredible. You’re so talented wow.” Chanyeol praised him loudly as Jongin came to sit next to him. 

“I love skating, it’s one of my favourite things to do in the winter” explained Jongin. “But now I’m exhausted and a bit hungry. Want to go and get something to eat?”

Chanyeol perked up at the mention of food and beamed at Jongin. “Yes! Let’s go get Donkatsu!” Jongin laughed at the other man’s enthusiasm. “Alright Chanyeol, let’s go feed the monster that’s trying to escape your tummy.” They walked out of the arena, hand in hand, chatting quietly with each other.

December 21st

“No way, marshmallows will always be superior in hot chocolate. Whipped cream makes it get cold too quickly.” Jongin was staunch in his opinon, he refused to let Chanyeol sway him. He blew on his hot chocolate to cool it before taking a sip.

“But if you don’t cool it off before you drink it then you burn your tongue and the whole experience is RUINED.” Chanyeol put heavy emphasis on the last word as he took a sip of his own drink.

They were walking hand in hand through the park nearby their flats, enjoying each other’s company and hot chocolates. Chanyeol pulled Jongin to sit on a bench that had a clear view of the pond where some children were having a snowball fight. 

“Why didn’t you wear a hat?” He asked Jongin as he reached up to dust the snowflakes out of his hair. “I couldn’t find the one that I wanted and I was already running late to meet you.”

“Will you be my boyfriend?”

The sudden question brought Jongin up short. He blinked rapidly at Chanyeol for a moment. “Uh…” Is his eloquent answer.

“I’m sorry that came out so suddenly I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable you can just forget -” Jongin cut Chanyeol’s backpedaling off with a finger to his lips. 

“You didn’t give me time to answer you spork. I was just surprised. Of course I will be your boyfriend.” 

Chanyeol huffed out a relieved laugh and smiled at Jongin. “Oh thank god I was afraid that I really stepped in it.”

They sat on the bench a while longer, people watching and sipping their drinks. It was too cold to stay out for long though and so they soon stood to leave. Jongin had a dinner date with his parents later and Chanyeol had a stack of final exams to grade for his students. 

“Jongin?” Chanyeol asked as they said their goodbyes. “Can I come over tomorrow? I had something I wanted to tell you but we don’t have enough time right now.”

“Of course Chanyeol. Should I be worried?” Jongin asked as he analyzed Chanyeol’s face. 

“No no, it’s nothing to worry about,” Chanyeol replied. He leaned in then and in a blink pressed a kiss to Jongin’s cheek before turning and walking away before Jongin could say anything. 

Jongin watched Chanyeol’s back retreating as he pressed a hand to the spot that Chanyeol had just kissed. He stood there until Chanyeol was out of sight before he made his way home. He didn’t stop smiling the whole walk home.

***

Chapter 4: Written in the Stars

December 22nd

They were sitting in Jongin’s living room again but the mood was somber. Chanyeol traced the rim of his teacup with a finger, round and round in repetitive circles. 

“What do you know about soulmates?” Chanyeol asked softly, as if he was afraid of the answer. 

“Soulmates? Uhhh not too much really. I know that they’re really rare and that they’re perfect matches for each other. Oh and that usually one of the partners knows that they’re soulmates.” Jongin scrunched his nose up as he thought.

“Yeah that’s all pretty much true. Soulmates don’t always find each other but they will be more drawn to meet. And their love will always be pure and true. They live in cycles where one partner knows about the existence of a soulmate, knows that they need to look for the other half of their soul.” 

“That sounds like a dream come true,” said Jongin wistfully. 

“Well I have something to tell you.” Chanyeol hesitated, not sure how to proceed. 

“What’s wrong?” Jongin studied Chanyeol’s face and tried to work out what was causing his boyfriend to be so uncertain.

“Well I know for a fact that we are soulmates.” Chanyeol spilled out the truth rather abruptly. 

Jongin’s world went silent for a solid minute. He couldn’t hear anything but the beating of his heart and the whooshing of air in his lungs.

“-in. Jongin! Are you okay?” Jongin shook his head to clear it and blinked at Chanyeol. 

“Soulmates?” He asked in a whisper, afraid to believe what he had heard. 

“Yes, soulmates. Fate’s perfect match for each other. I have known since the first moment that I saw you.” Chanyeol smiled softly and gazed down into his teacup.

“I wasn’t originally going to tell you though because there’s a catch. There’s a limit to how long you can go in one cycle without finding your soulmate. You see I wasn’t fast enough to find you this time, I went over the limit in this cycle. So at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve I will disappear. I won’t remember this life or that we’re soulmates. My cycle is up. Only you will remember this. Us. And you will have to find me again.” At the end of his little speech Chanyeol paused and looked at Jongin with half-lidded eyes, waiting for his reaction.

“You’re going to DIE?!” Jongin’s exclamation was abrupt in the silence of the room. 

“NO! No no no, I’m not going to die. More like I will vanish? I’m not entirely certain how that part works. All I know is that my memory of my life will be wiped and I will be transported somewhere else to start over. I’m sorry Jongin. It’s all my fault.” Chanyeol didn’t think that explanation would make Jongin feel any better for some reason. 

“Jongin I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t what you were hoping to hear.” Chanyeol apologized again, his eyes never leaving the softly trembling form of the other man.

Tears of frustration and betrayal streamed down Jongin’s face. To be given a love so pure, a love ordained by the fates themselves, and then to have it all cruelly yanked away within the same minute? Jongin hid his trembling hands in his pockets, too afraid to look up at Chanyeol’s face just yet. 

“I’m sorry Jongin, I didn’t know how else to tell you. I couldn’t let you fall in love with me without knowing.” Chanyeol’s own voice was thick with suppressed tears.

“I think that you should go.” It’s barely a whisper but Jongin forced it out. 

“What?” 

Jongin wasn’t sure if Chanyeol hadn’t heard him or if he didn’t believe him but regardless he repeated himself. “You should go. I can’t -” he cut off with a choked sob, “I can’t do this right now.”

Jongin didn’t look up as he heard the unmistakable rustling of a coat being put on and his front door opening and then closing. Only when he was sure Chanyeol was gone did he allow himself to slide to the floor and sob.

December 23rd

Time dragged slowly by, as if someone had put it on half speed. Chanyeol forced himself to keep going, moving forward as if nothing had happened but he was so tired. Late one evening as he opened the door to his dark, empty flat he spotted his guitar resting by the couch. His mind made up Chanyeol dropped his bag onto the floor, grabbed his guitar case and left. He slowly walked to the park where he had just been a few days before and found an empty bench to stop at. 

Chanyeol strummed his guitar, playing the tune he had written with his soulmate in mind. He closed his eyes and let the music carry him away. In a perfect world he would have found Jongin sooner and none of this would be happening right now. This was probably what he deserved for getting too complacent. Jongin deserved someone who put him first. Chanyeol opened his eyes again as the song came to a close and thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette walking away. He shook his head and blinked a few times before he looked back at that spot. There was no one there of course. Chanyeol packed up his guitar and headed back home to the emptiness of his flat. The emptiness in his chest pulsed just a little bit more than it did before. 

***

Chapter 5: Floating In Between

December 25th

There was a sudden knock at Jongin’s door. He glanced down at his watch and furrowed his brows. No one he knew would be knocking on his door at 7pm on Christmas eve, especially not without messaging him first at the very least. He roused himself from the sofa, setting aside his book and blanket. He padded to the door and pressed the button on the control panel that would turn on the camera. Standing there in the hallway, snow in his hair, was Chanyeol. Jongin deliberated for a moment about what to do but ultimately decided in the spirit of the season to let Chanyeol in.

“Happy Christmas Jongin.” The words were out of Chanyeol’s mouth before Jongin had a chance to say anything. “This is for you.” Chanyeol held out a neatly wrapped box for Jongin to take.

“Chanyeol, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Jongin held the door open and stepped back to let Chanyeol in. “Come in please?”

Chanyeol lowered his arms and hesitantly stepped inside. Jongin shut the door behind him and took Chanyeol’s arm. He led him to the living room and pushed him down to sit on the sofa.

“I think I overreacted. I know that you didn’t mean to conceal the truth from me. I don’t blame you, it’s a scary prospect. If it’s true that we only have a few more days to spend together then I want to spend them with you.” Jongin let the words out in a rush.

“I’m so sorry Jongin. It’s all my fault. I know that I can’t possibly make it up to you. But if you want to spend these last days with me I would be honored.” 

Jongin sat on the sofa next to Chanyeol and sank into his embrace, taking in the scent of the other man’s cologne mixed with the smell of snow and cold. They remained like that for what could have been mere minutes, but what felt like hours. 

“Do you want to open your present Jongin?” Chanyeol asked as he pulled back to look into the other man’s face. 

“You didn’t have to get me anything Chanyeol.” 

“I have kind of been keeping this for a while.” Chanyeol replied sheepishly. 

He held out the box to Jongin once more and this time Jongin accepted, slowly unwrapping the small box. His fingers met the velvet of a jewelry case and he opened the lid. Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked down at the locket inside. He flipped it open and allowed the tears to fall as he read the engraving. 

Forever and Always

“It’s perfect, thank you Chanyeol.” Jongin turned so that Chanyeol could hook the locket around his neck and then returned to the other man’s embrace. They laid together on the couch until the wee hours of the morning, Christmas tree twinkling in the background and snow falling softly outside the window. 

December 28th

Chanyeol was reading from a book of poetry, the title long worn away from the spine due to years and years of fingers running over it. He kept his voice low and even so as not to wake his dozing boyfriend. One hand stroked Jongin’s hair rhythmically, the other turned the pages. There was soft music playing in the background, accompanied by the crackling of a fire. Chanyeol knew these poems by heart and it wasn’t long before he had stopped looking at the book altogether, gazing instead down at his soulmate’s face. He continued to speak, and his soft words filled the air. They spun tales of lovers past, the battles they had fought to be together, the obstacles they had overcome. Jongin slept on, carried into dreamland by the soothing tones of Chanyeol’s voice. 

Chanyeol gently lifted Jongin and carried him to the bedroom and settled a warm knitted blanket over him. He gently stroked the man’s hair away from his eyes, marvelling at the innocence in the sleeping face. Padding slowly back out into the living room, he picked the worn book of poetry up from the floor and pushed it back into it’s spot on the shelf. He banked the fire and turned off the music, then turned slowly to take in his living room. Nothing looked to be amiss so Chanyeol locked the door before returning to the bedroom. He cuddled up next to Jongin and the boy shifted back so that he was nestled in Chanyeol’s arms. Chanyeol wished this moment could last forever.

December 31st

It didn’t matter that he had been prepared for this. It didn’t matter that he had loved the man for such a short time. Jongin knew his heart, knew that this was the happiest that he had ever been. Tears slid down his cheeks as he tried to memorize Chanyeol’s face, burn it into his memory. 

“I will always come back to you, Kim Jongin. Fate will make sure of it. You’re mine.”

The clock chimed midnight and Chanyeol embraced Jongin. He was happy. It didn’t matter that he would soon have to start all over again. The world slowly faded around Chanyeol and he smiled, pressing a kiss to Jongin’s forehead. This had been a good life, he didn’t have any regrets. He kept his eyes locked onto Jongin’s as the world dissolved and everything went still.

Jongin blinked a few times, his empty arms coming down to rest by his sides. He looked around at the room which seemed much darker and colder than it had been just moments before. 

“Whose dream is this?” Jongin asked the empty room. “Does it matter?” The wind whispered answers back to him. “I suppose not,” said Jongin, “it’s a lovely dream.” 

“I guess the rest is up to me now. I won’t wait as long as he did. Not now that I know how true love feels.” 

Epilogue: And So it Started Again

Jongin stared as the train pulled into the station and the doors slid open. Sitting there on the train was Chanyeol, his bag clutched in his lap and a book held loosely in one of his hands. His caramel coloured hair brushed lightly over his closed eyes as he dozed. Jongin stepped onto the train and took the open seat next to him. And as if Chanyeol’s soul could sense Jongin’s presence, his body slumped sideways and his head came to rest on Jongin’s shoulder, right where it belonged. This time Jongin would make sure fate couldn’t separate them. The doors of the train slid closed and a smile bloomed on Jongin’s face as they headed off into the night.


End file.
